After getting unsavory comments on social media for not retaliating against the water cannon attacks of the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG), an official of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it is unfair for some Filipinos to label the PCG personnel as cowards.
On April 29, a PCG patrol vessel incurred damage in the wake of yet another episode of harassment by CCG ships, which utilized powerful jet stream water cannons in the vicinity of Bajo De Masinloc.
“I think it is unfair for the Philippine Coast Guard na i-label na duwag kayo, ayaw nyong gumamit ng water cannon (I think it is unfair for the Philippine Coast Guard to be labeled as cowards just because they refuse to use water cannons),” Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), said during a radio interview on Thursday, May 2.
Contrary to the comments of some netizens calling PCG personnel as cowards, he said PCG members are brave for publicizing what is really happening in the West Philippine Sea.
“On the first place, do they really think kung duwag ang coast guard we should have already stopped doing thison the first place. We should have stopped publicizing all these… Kaya nga natin pinaguusapan to kasi matatapang ang coast guard personnel natin (We are discussing this now because our coast guard personnel are brave),” said Tariela.
The spokesperson emphasized that despite the danger and provocations from the CCG, PCG personnel courageously continued their patrols in the West Philippine Sea.
“Ang coast guard natin araw-araw pinapatrolya pa rin yan kahit alam nya na i-wa-water cannon sya, babangain sya, and nakasalalay ang buhay nya rito (Our coast guard continues to patrol it every day even though they know they'll be water cannoned, rammed, and their lives are at stake),” he said.
Meanwhile, Tariela called on Filipinos to stop saying that PCG members are cowards.
He acknowledged the urge to retaliate but underscored the necessity of de-escalating tensions to prevent China from justifying the deployment of additional vessels.
“We should not be the one to be the reason na sasabihin ng China, ‘O kita mo na naman o, talagang itong mga to sila mismo ang nag-provoke, nag-water cannon din.’ What will come next? They are going to elevate the tension once again, and they are going to have an excuse na magdala na naman ng maraming coast guard vessel or even the Navy warships (We should not be the one to be the reason why China will say, ‘See, it's them again, they're the ones provoking, they're the ones who provoked, they also used water cannons.’ So what will come next? They are going to escalate the tension once again, and they are going to have an excuse to bring in many coast guard vessels or even Navy warships),” the spokesperson said.
Increased gov’t presence in WPS
On April 25, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said the increased presence of the Philippine government in the West Philippine Sea gives Filipino fisherfolk confidence to fish in the disputed waters.
According to BFAR spokesperson Nazario Briguera, there are currently over 300,000 Filipinos fishing in the WPS.
“Nasa mahigit 300,000 ang bilang ng ating mangingisda sa West Philippine Sea. ‘Yung konteksto nung sinasabing nadaragdagan ang mga mangingisda, ito po ‘yung increased presence noong mga mangingisda na naiulat natin nitong mga nakaraang buwan doon sa Scarborough Shoal (The number of our fishermen in the West Philippine Sea is over 300,000. The context when it was said that fishermen are increasing, this is the increased presence of fishermen that we have reported in recent months at Scarborough Shoal),” he stated.
Amid the tension in the WPS, Briguera said various government agencies, such as the PCG, are now working together to ensure the safety and protection of Filipino fishers.
LAYAG-WPS
The BFAR formally launched Livelihood Activities to Enhance Fisheries Yields and Economic Gains from the West Philippine Sea (LAYAG-WPS) in Subic, Zambales on April 16.
LAYAG-WPS intends to enhance the quality of life for Filipino fishing communities that front the West Philippine Sea by utilizing the abundant resources of the fishing ground and promoting opportunities for fisheries as a means of subsistence in the regions of MIMAROPA (Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan), Central Luzon, and Ilocos.
During the launching, the BFAR turned over 62-footer Fiber Reinforced Plastic (RFP) vessels complete with modernized fishing equipment to select fisherfolk associations from Central Luzon and the Ilocos Region.
They also provided livelihood inputs such as gillnets to around 100 fisherfolk, while 50 women fisherfolk underwent post-harvest training and received post-harvest implements.
Earlier, BFAR had announced that the Philippines has allocated at least P2.5 billion to purchase new floating assets to increase the government’s presence and accompany Filipino fishers in the WPS.
In July 2016, China’s nine-dash line claims in the South China Sea were rejected by an arbitral tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The case was brought by the Philippines based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).